So as well all know by now, Punxsutawney Phil was ripped from his weather station of a hole (see image to the right) this morning to provide us with critical climatological information, noting that we have to endure six more weeks of winter weather!The legend is that if the groundhog (also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or land-beaver) sees its shadow, then we will have six more weeks of winter, while no shadow predicts an early Spring. However, last I checked Winter will always end on March 21 when the Spring Equinox begins. But somehow every year on February 2 we turn our attention to the PA-based rodent to provide us with a useless prediction on what to expect over the next several weeks. This tradition started in the 1700's in Pennsylvania with the German settlers who lived there. They are called Pennsylvania Dutch today (but The Northeast Quadrant calls them Amish)!
In other related news, PETA announced this past week that they would like to see Phil replaced with a robotic groundhog! Here's a dramatic, yet accurate representation!
